In The Midst Of Calamity
by JustxAxRandomxPersonx
Summary: Everyone's life is suddenly changed when a barrier comes down, demons run wild, a God desires war, and a half demon wants nothing more than to wreak havoc on everyone and everything. In the midst of all this, Rin finds friends, love, and courage she never knew she could possess. Warning:Violence
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** **I do not own Inuyasha not do I make a profit from this story **

_**A/N: Help~ I really need to not start new stories when I have other stories I need to finish n But seriously this would not leave me alone ;n; So hopefully this will be a slightly ok nice story? ;w; Also, this is a**_** complete**_** work of fiction, I looked up some things while researching some mythology and**__**whatnot but I changed a lot of stuff so I hope nothing confused anyone :) Also in this chapter there's a story, and that'll be in italics so it doesn't confuse anyone :) There's going to be a lot of questions that will be answered later on**_

* * *

><p>The children sat patiently around a small fire, their eyes never leaving the form of the old man. One look at him and you could see how feeble and weak he was; it looked as though a puff of wind could knock him down. His back was slightly hunched, his face was heavily lined with wrinkles, and he had only a fringe of grey hair around his balding, mottled scalp.<p>

He looked up from the flames, taking a moment to look each child in the eye, and when he spoke, his voice was quiet, almost winded. It looked as though it took him a lot of energy to speak, and he stopped to take a deep breath after each sentence.

**o~O~o**

_It would be fair to say that not many people would welcome the idea of willingly running into a battlefield with only a slim chance of them surviving. People all had things they wanted to do, things they wanted to live for. Many wanted to go about their daily routines in peace. They didn't want to pick up a sword and run toward their possible demise. _

_Yoshiro glanced left and right at the many warriors that stood at attention, standing straight and tense, their eyes not daring to look away from the enemy. Most of them had a family. A home to go back to. They all had something to fight for, to protect. They didn't want to sit around and do nothing. They wanted to take action, even if it meant the possibility of them dying._

_His gaze hesitantly landed on what the other warriors were looking at - the demons standing proudly atop a hill in front of them. He supposed even they had families, possible homes to go back to. But what did he know about them really? What did anyone know about them? _

_Nothing. Nothing except that they were different. They had pointed ears, claws and fangs, they had powers._

_Although, technically speaking, there were humans that had powers too. Monks and priestesses that had spiritual powers. There were a few of them standing here among the warriors, though not enough in his opinion. _

_But really, what was the reason for this war that was about to take place? The answer was, in fact, ridiculously simple. It was the differences between their races._

_And of course, because of these differences both races had made sure to stay away from each other. The demons mostly lived in the mountains so there were hardly any confrontations. _

_He wasn't sure when exactly problems seemed to start, but soon demons began to prey on unsuspecting humans, though humans weren't completely innocent either. Many, driven by their fear of the different race sought to hunt them. Groups called demon slayers formed and bloodshed was a regular occurrence now. _

_Lord Hachiro, who declared war on the demons, had often ignored the troubles his people had with them. It wasn't until his only daughter, princess Izayoi, was kidnapped that he immediately took action against the 'beasts'. _

_Really there was no evidence that the princess had actually been kidnapped, but no one would even consider that the possibility of her leaving willingly was even possible._

_Yoshiro's eyes were drawn to who was obviously the Lord of those demons. The figure stood regal and proud, long silver hair was up in a ponytail, his eyes - a golden color - scanned over each and every one of them. _

_Yoshiro ignored his attire, and even the..tails? No, what held his attention was the blood that seemed to drip to the ground from a wound that ran behind the demon's armor. He was going to do battle with such a wound? The thought was surprising, and Yoshiro couldn't help but feel respect toward the demon. _

_He wondered briefly if maybe his Lord was wrong. What if the princess had fell in love with the demon Lord and did indeed leave willingly? Maybe they didn't have to have a war after all.. _

_Yoshiro quickly shook his head to rid himself of such thoughts. As a warrior he swore unwavering loyalty to his Lord and master. He and the other warriors standing stiffly, swords at the ready, were expected to give their lives without hesitation._

_ This was a war. He had no time to think of anything but surviving. _

_He and his companions wanted to live._

_The demons wanted to live._

_But for either side to live it meant the other had to die. _

_Dark clouds settled over them and Yoshiro's grip on his sword tightened._

_And just as the first raindrop hit the ground his Lord could be heard yelling at the top of his lungs: Charge! _

**o~O~o**

Rin paused mid-step as she listened to the end of the story. No, she hadn't sat with the old man and the children. No one really wanted her around. She had only heard the end of the tale, though it didn't really matter; she had heard that story many times when she was a child and would hide behind a bush or a hut to listen in on the stories being passed around.

Ever since Rin could remember, the villagers have been talking about what lied beyond the woods that spread far into the mountains. Whispers, warnings, story tellings all filled her ears. It was nothing entirely new, but lately those whispers have gotten louder, the warnings more urgent, and the story tellings becoming facts.

They talked of things in the woods, things you would probably never imagine to find there. Rustling in the bushes, a evil laugh behind a tree when there's no one around to make it. A flash of red jumping from branch to branch, like a spark from a fire but nothing's burning.

No one really ventured into the woods. Only a few would go in to hunt, but never would they go too far. You see, though she had never sought to see if it were true or not, she had heard no one could ever go too far into the woods.

No, it was not a law or an order that had to be obeyed. If anyone ever attempted to go too far, they would encounter a barrier, some type of force that would prevent you from waking any further. Sure, people had tried to see if the could go around this barrier, but it was not to be.

As the stories go, this barrier was supposedly put there by the Gods themselves after a brutal war between two races took place. There were so many tragedies that finally the barrier was put there to protect humankind from the beings that resided beyond that barrier.

People spoke of these beings as horrible monsters who brought nothing but destruction many years ago.

These stories were told by each family. A mother would tell it to her children, and they would tell it to their children, and so the stories lived on.

Though this time there was one thing that stood out among the rest of the whispers. One thing that spread fear among the elders, unease among the adults, and curiosity among the children.

The demons would return.

Was it wrong that, that thought didn't frighten her at all?


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own Inuyasha and I don't make a profit from this story**

_**A:N- I just want to mention that there's no romance going on between Inuyasha and Rin, it's more of a brother/sister kind of relationship here :)**_

* * *

><p>No one noticed her as she continued on her walk toward her small hut by the stream; though that was nothing new. She was the village outcast, an orphan that no one wanted to be around.<p>

The only people who had ever bothered to talk to her had been Kagome and her friends Miroku and Sango. They were kind to her, invited her to eat with them and talk with them. Rin couldn't help but be very impressed with them. Kagome was beautiful, only a year older than her, and a amazing miko. Sango's family were apparently descendants of the demon slayers from long ago, and Miroku- a monk with a strange wind tunnel in his hand; though he was also known as being quite lecherous.

As impressed with them as she was, she couldn't help but always feel so.. intimidated by them. Not that she thought they would hurt her or anything, it was just that they seemed so amazing and she was just.. not so amazing. No, their skills were nothing new, there were many miko's and monks in other villages as well. But she had no powers like Kagome, knew no fighting skills like Sango, and had no wind tunnel in her hand like Miroku. She was just plain, boring, orphan girl Rin.

She did however appreciate that they often tried to include her in group activities. They were so kind, and she cared about them very much, but she never really felt like part of the group. There was always a story they referred to that she hadn't heard, or an inside joke she wasn't included in. She knew though, that they didn't do this on purpose.

She just never truly felt completely comfortable around others before.

Until she met Inuyasha.

Rin remembered meeting him like it was only yesterday, though really it was two years ago; when she was sixteen.

She was being bullied by the other teenagers in the village that had surrounded her. Nothing new. An insult about her hair, a joke about her dirty kimono and a few rocks being thrown at her.

She wasn't sure how long she was laying there huddled on her side, her arms covering her head as she tried to protect herself; but one minute all she heard was laughter and the next minute she heard a very gruff and very loud voice yelling, "Hey you brats! Leave her the hell alone!"

At the sound of screams and running feet, she had hesitantly lifted her head to get a look at the person who helped her. She had never seen him before, this man with long black hair wearing a red kimono. He was glaring at the backs of the running teenagers, but when he looked down at her, she was surprised to see concern in those brown eyes.

No one besides Kagome, Sango, and Miroku ever showed interest or concern for her, so to see it in this strangers eyes was pretty shocking to her. He didn't seem to find it strange, and simply asked if she was okay before telling her to be careful. He then walked off toward Kagome's home, and she wondered how he knew her, or why she had never seen him around before. Was he from another village?

After a while Rin had decided not to think too much about it, and the next time he visited, he had come to sit by her for a little while. Neither said nothing to the other, they only say in companionable silence until he left. After a while Rin decided to talk to him, and he talked back, and so they would talk about everything and anything from time to time. She had learned both his parents died, he had learned hers died as well; and it was strange, but they found a friendship in their unfortunate similarities.

Sometimes he would visit her first and sometimes he would visit Kagome first, but always he left before the next day. She thought it was strange that he would only visit once a month.

Until she saw him, but not the human him.

One time, it was only one time he had fallen asleep next to her while they were stargazing. It was one night that she couldn't fall asleep, so she stayed awake and stared at the stars, and soon after she was staring at the sun rising behind the mountains. Inuyasha had jerked up, suddenly awake. It had surprised her, but still she merely gave him a warm smile while he mumbled something about him having to go, and walked quickly away.. toward the forest.

Now, Rin never considered herself to be nosy, but after hearing so many stories about how humans couldn't wander into the forest she decided to follow him, wondering why he was headed toward there.

Crouching down and hiding behind a small bush, she watched as he took a step passed the line of trees. Just as the light of the sun shone through the treetops she saw him change.

Black hair suddenly turned silver, brown eyes turned amber, and she wasn't sure, but it looked as though his usually short fingernails suddenly grew into something that resembled claws. But what really shocked her, was what appeared on the top of his head. Ears. Dogs ears.

So shocked was she, that she couldn't help but gasp at the sight. Rin saw his ears twitch a little as he turned and looked around, searching for the source of the sound. Covering her mouth, she had ducked down further into the bush and stayed as still as she could. She wasn't sure just how long she had stayed there, but after a while she peeked over the bush and saw that he was gone.

She knew now, he wasn't human. So he became the reason she believed in the stories of demons, and the fact that he was one didn't scare her at all. He had never tried to hurt her and had spent time with her just talking or being lazy.

So, she decided not to say a word about it. Not to him, or to anyone else. Though something told her Kagome, Miroku and Sango had their suspicions. She saw the strange way they would stare at what looked like an old sword that he carried around. Still, she wouldn't say anything. She had thought that if he really wanted her to know, he would tell her.

And he did.

**_Flashback_**

_"Rin," he said, glancing at her before looking back up at the stars, "Do you believe in all those stories? About demons." _

_"Hmm," she hummed, propping her head up on her hands as she laid down. "I don't know. I think I do."_

_Inuyasha leaned back, his hand brushing against the hilt of his sword as he thought about something. "How come?"_

_"I don't know, I just don't find it that hard to believe." She eyed him curiously, wondering if maybe he'd tell her today. "I mean, the stories have to come from somewhere right? Who's to say they aren't true? It explains why no one can go too far into the forest."_

_He was quiet for a while after that, and Rin gave up hope that he would ever tell her. Just as she was going to change the subject, he spoke again. _

_"What if I told you I wasn't entirely human."_

_"What do you mean? What else would you be?" she asked. _

_He was hesitating again, and Rin found it a bit strange. Inuyasha always said what was on his mind quickly. He didn't sugarcoat things, he answered questions truthfully whether it hurt your feelings or didn't. Rin had quickly come to realize his attitude as not being mean, but as a sort of tough love. The fact that he was telling her this might be difficult for him. _

_"What if I told you I was a half demon?" he looked at her and for once, she saw he was slightly..nervous. "Would you hate me?"_

_"No," she answered quickly, not having to think about it. "Half demon or not, you're still the Inuyasha I've come to love."_

_Immediately his nervousness disappeared, replaced by his normal stubborn frown. "Feh!" He turned his head away to hide his blush. "You're way too trusting. If that barrier ever came down you'd better be careful. Not all demons are as nice as me."_

_She sat up, smiling widely, excited that her guesses were correct. "So you're really a demon?" _

_"Half demon," he corrected, eyeing her suspiciously. "You don't seem that surprised."_

_It was her turn to blush now as she nervously looked around, everywhere but his face. He continued to stare at her, eyes narrowed, and soon she let out a defeated sigh knowing she would have to tell. _

_"I kind of, saw you one time," she mumbled, still not looking at him. "That time you fell asleep here, I followed you and saw.."_

_"Thought I smelled you near that day."_

_Rin's eyes widened slightly. "You could smell me?"_

_"Feh," Inuyasha smiled smugly. "My nose is __wayyy__ better than any humans nose. Besides demons having better senses than a human, I'm part __dog__ demon. Of course I smelled your scent."_

_Rin stared at him in awe. She had heard stories of how cruel and powerful demons were, but never did she hear about any types of abilities they had. _

_"So not all demons are like you?" she asked. _

_"No. There are many different kinds of demons. Even some that live in the ocean. Must be a barrier for them somewhere too, not that I care. There aren't a lot of nice ones if you're thinkin' of makin' friends, most of them are assholes."_

_"So, demons are kind of like humans that way then."_

_"What?" Inuyasha said in confusion. _

_"Well, I mean, not all humans are good, and not all are bad. It must be the same for demons too." She smiled at him. "Your father must have been a very good demon."_

_"I guess," Inuyasha said as he once again looked up at the sky. "Never met him."_

_"Well, if your mom fell in love with him he must have been a wonderful man," she smiled and laid back. _

**_End Flashback_**

Rin had asked him so many questions about his life. She found out his father died in the war talked about in stories, like the one the old man was telling. Inuyasha had also told her his mother died when he was a child. He talked about how his father left him the sword he carried and the robe of the fire rat he wore.

It was all so interesting, to hear about the many kinds of demons, and what it was like to live in the mountain forests. She found herself wanting to see what it was like for herself.

She laid in the grass, tracing the outline of the bright crescent moon; paused, and dropped her hand to her side as the wind kicked up, skimming clouds over the surface of the moon. And as she laid there, she couldn't help but hope that maybe one day she'd be able to travel wherever she wanted.

No villagers wishing she wasn't around.

No old run down hut.

And no barriers.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:**** Still don't own Inuyasha (sadly) ;n; And I don't make any type of profit from this story~**

_**A/N- Just a reminder there will be questions that won't be answered until later on :)**_

* * *

><p>A villager who was on his way home for dinner had stopped, stood still, and could do nothing more but stare in shock, not truly believing what he was seeing. A tall young man, tan like he spent a lot of time in the light of the sun, was walking by, toward the forest.<p>

The fact that he was a tall tan man wasn't strange. That he was walking toward the forest was a little strange. But that was not why he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

It was the man's eyes he noticed first. His pupils, like anyone else's, were full and dark, but his surrounding irises were a fiery red that seemed to glow in the darkness of the night; and the villager saw the inhumanity there, the absolute absence of mercy that sent a chill up his spine.

However, what caught his attention next was not his slightly tousled bangs, his black hair tied back in a high ponytail, the pair of crossed swords sheathed on his back, or the way he moved passed with a predatory grace, seeming no more mindful of the villager than if he were a mere statue.

_It was his wings_.

Bathed in the brightness of the moonlight. Big feathery wings as black as the night sky spread to the sides from his back. They looked soft, delicate yet powerful at the same time.

Who was he? What was he? One thing was for sure, he was not human, and that thought along with the man's shocking appearance caused the villager to faint in shock.

o~O~o

Satoshi stood near the edge of the forest, peering into the dark shadows. This forest looked the same as any other forest you could find around the world, but he knew it for what it was. He could feel the bitter aura of magic as an ache in his chest.

The barrier dividing humans and demons.

He reached a hand out, his palm facing the forest as the tips of his fingers began to glow a bright orange. He felt it. The magic was weakening. He allowed the corner of his mouth to lift slightly in a smirk as his eyes glowed dangerously.

Satisfied for the moment, he lowered his hand and began to walk languidly along the edge of the forest, listening to the joyful laughter of some humans in their hut.

Soon, very soon that laughter would be replaced with screams of agony and despair. He would make sure of it.

Of course it wasn't like the humans lived in complete peace. They still raped, stole from, and murdered each other.

But it was not enough.

_War. _

That's what he wanted - the blood, the chaos, the despair and the pain.

He craved it. Another war between humans and demons would undoubtedly be as entertaining as the first. Though this time, no one would interfere.

Although any plans of war would have to wait for now since half of his powers had been sealed away. The thought filled him with rage as he clutched the red, round, marble-like glass that hung on a necklace around his neck.

It wasn't like he was weak in his current state. He was still stronger than any human or demon, but that was not the point. He wanted to be at his full power when the war began. He would cause tragedies on both sides, and would enjoy every moment to the fullest.

His thoughts were cut short however as a unearthly wail reached his ears from inside a run down hut. Curious, he followed the noise and walked into the little hut without uttering a word, uncaring of such things as privacy.

Satoshi stared in blank incomprehension at the.. _thing_ lying on the wooden floor. It looked like a dark wrinkly lump that smelled of fire, and he guessed it used to be a human.

"I swear," a weak and raspy voice came from the lump, "I will kill every last human I come across."

The only indication that Satoshi was surprised was the slight widening of his eyes. The fact that the human survived was surprising. His whole body was burned, bits of skin peeling here and there, the upper lip had probably been taken off for it wasn't there, showing a row of dirty teeth.

It was hideous. That it should even speak was an abomination and the absolute wrongness of it held him immobile, staring in disgust.

He turned, ready to leave the human to it's suffering, but paused when it's voice came again.

"Who's there?" he sounded startled.

"It matters not," Satoshi answered. "Silence yourself and accept death."

"I cannot!" the voice cried out. How the human could have survived like this Satoshi didn't know. "I will not die until I get my revenge on those wretched humans."

"Pathetic fool," his voice was low as he spoke. "Have you forgotten that you yourself are human? What reason would you have to want revenge on your own race?"

"They betrayed me," the voice spat. "Thief or not, I did not deserve this. I feel only bitter hatred for my race."

Satoshi turned and stared at the..human. He felt no pity for the man and pondered on whether or not he should just kill him himself. But..perhaps he could use him. Yes, the magic around the forest would be gone by tomorrow night, and then he could change this lump of dead skin into a useful tool.

"I can help you," Satoshi finally said, his voice as always was void of any emotion.

"However," he walked over and knelt next to the burned man and heard the gasp as one of the human's eyes landed on him. "You will have to obey me and do as I say."

"If you attempt to betray me," his eyes flashed dangerously, "I will kill you. Do you understand?"

"Yes," answered the man in a small whisper.

"Good. Now tell me, what is your name?"

There was a few moments hesitation before he answered.

"Naraku."


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own Inuyasha and I don't make a profit from this story**

* * *

><p>Rin sighed, looking down at her feet as she walked aimlessly. Tonight was the night of the new moon and Inuyasha hadn't come to see her. Perhaps he went to see Kagome and the others and ended up staying longer than usual, or maybe he simply wasn't able to come at all this time. Either way she couldn't be mad at him, she was only disappointed that she wouldn't see him; and as always, she felt lonely.<p>

Of course, many others were lonely as well. Though many of them only felt lonely at night, when they lay alone in their bed. It wasn't exactly the same for her. Yes, she is lonely at night, but she is also lonely each day when she wakes up and everything is silent around her. No brothers or sisters laughing and playing, no mother cooking a meal, no father saying goodbye before leaving to do the daily farming. She is lonely when she goes for a walk, and no one in the village stops to say hello or even looks her way. She is lonely when she's alone in her small hut, eating a fish she caught in the stream with no one around to talk to.

She had thought about traveling to a different village, but what difference would it make? She would still be an orphan, she would still have no money, and she would still not be able to get a nice kimono. She was 18, and she knew many girls her age were married already, but what hope did she have of getting married? Men wanted a wife who was beautiful, came from a good home, and had something to offer them. She had none of those things.

Often Rin wondered if perhaps she should make an effort to try and be more involved in the activities Kagome and the others take part in, but soon after she wonders about it, insecurity creeps in and she simply waits until one of them invite her to join them.

Rin looked up, noticing she had walked all the way toward the beach. She knew fishermen would soon be making their way over here to start their daily routines. Some of the fishing poles were propped up, the fishing lines in the water to perhaps nab a fish during the night. She also noticed a strange lump lying close to the water, but shrugged, thinking it was seaweed that washed up onto the shore.

She pushed her toes into the sand, remembering how some of the villagers would make fun of her for not wearing sandals. She didn't care. So what if she didn't wear sandals? So what, if she actually enjoyed the feeling of soft grass under her feet? Why should they care? Was it really something they needed to make fun of?

"Oi! Rin!"

Rin looked up, startled, before a huge smile spread across her face at the sight of Inuyasha. Her brown eyes drifted downward, looking happily at his bare feet.

"I have to leave soon," he said, looking toward the mountains as the sun began to peek up from behind them. "Just wanted to see ya before I left."

"Were you with Kagome?" she asked, noticing a few fishermen already walking toward the boats and fishing poles. They sure did wake up early.

"Yeah. I told them."

Her eyebrows rose, knowing what he meant and slightly surprised that he told them. "How'd they take it?"

"Kagome and Miroku took it pretty well," he answered, still watching the sun. "Sango needed a little bit to process everything but she seemed okay after. Pretty sure they suspected anyways, since anyone with spiritual powers could detect the demonic aura from my sword."

Rin nodded, watching a few fishermen as they noticed the lump in the sand. "I'm glad everything went okay. Do you have to leave now?" she asked disappointedly.

"Yeah," Inuyasha tore his gaze away from the rising sun to say goodbye. "I-"

His sentence was interrupted suddenly by screams, and immediately his right hand grabbed the hilt of his sword as he looked at the fishermen.

Rin too looked toward the fishermen, noticing many of them standing around or walking toward the lump she had saw. Cautiously, she walked toward them, noticing Inuyasha followed close behind her.

What they saw shocked them both.

The creature had an ugly, deformed fish-like face and torso with what looked to be a monkey's mouth. It had two arms, with large bony fingers and sharp claws that sent a chill up Rin's spine. She stared at it's shining golden scales in shock, not sure what to say or think at the sight of such a creature.

Though it was obviously dead, no one dared to go near it. The fishermen spoke rapidly, panic clear on their faces.

"What is it?"

"Is it a fish?"

"What the hell kind of fish has hands!?"

Rin glanced at Inuyasha, who looked just as shocked to see the creature as everyone else.

"Inuyaha! Rin!"

Both looked to see Miroku and Sango running toward them, a look of worry on both their faces.

When they came to a stop in front of them, Miroku was the first to speak. "I was walking Sango home when we heard screaming. Is everything alright?"

But before either one could answer, Sango's gasp alerted Miroku to what was laying immobile on the sand.

"What is that?" Sango asked, taking a step back.

"I believe I know what it is," came the voice of an elderly fisherman. His hands were shaking, his eyes were wide, and he stared at the creature with such a look of horror that Rin suddenly wished she hadn't come to see what the thing was.

"Please sir," Miroku spoke gently, his eyes narrowed. "Tell us what you know of this creature."

The man licked his lips nervously. "It's... it's a ningyo."

"What the hell is a ningyo," Inuyasha said.

"It's a creature of legend. It's been said that catching one brought storms and misfortune," he took a step back, his eyes glancing wildly from one person to another. "You have to put it back!" he suddenly yelled. "A ningyo washed onto a beach is an omen of war and calamity! Throw it back in the sea!"

"Shit," Inuyasha hissed, feeling his nails elongate into claws. But all thoughts suddenly left him as a strange feeling overcame him. "Miroku," he whispered urgently, his gaze suddenly focusing on the forest. "Do you sense that?"

Miroku looked at his friend, and his worry grew as he noticed Inuyasha's eyes were no longer brown, but an amber color. Though, he too suddenly looked toward the forest once he sensed something strange.

Suddenly everything and everyone had gone deathly quiet and still, as though the world had come to an abrupt stop. Nobody moved, nobody seemed to be breathing, and even the sounds of waves had gone quiet.

Inuyasha broke the silence in a shocked whisper, "The barrier."

Just as the words left his lips everything seemed to come alive then, and suddenly harsh winds began to blow against them, huge waves began to crash down in the water, and the sound of leaves flapping violently in the winds reached their ears as the trees bent and rocked against the force of the wind. Nobody noticed the once black haired Inuyasha was now silver haired, nor did they notice the dog ears sitting atop his head, they all just stared at the forest, and without warning something large erupted from within the trees and a sense of panic rushed through everyone.

"Demons!" Sango yelled, shock evident in her voice.

Rin looked closer, and noticed it wasn't something large, it was indeed a large group of demons. Her heart almost stopped at the sight of countless sharp teeth and glowing eyes, and she took a step back when she realized they were coming toward the village.

"Miroku! Where's Kagome?" Inuyasha yelled, his hands balled into fists.

"She's still in her home," Miroku answered, not looking away from the sight before him.

"We have to get her," Inuyasha said urgently, grabbing his friends arm. Miroku finally tore his gaze away from the demons and nodded, knowing it wasn't the time to just stand around.

Sango grabbed Miroku's arm. "You come with me while Inuyasha gets Kagome," she said. "I need to get hiraikotsu."

"Rin," Inuyasha said fiercely, "Run to your hut."

Rin shook her head, her eyes wide as she grabbed the sleeve of his haori. She didn't want to be alone.

"Rin I need you to go to your hut," he said again. "Stay in there, I'll come get you. I need to go get Kagome and then we'll all get outta here okay?"

Rin hesitated a moment, but she knew she would probably only slow Inuyasha down. He needed to find Kagome quickly.

Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes for a moment, hoping to gather whatever courage she had. "Okay."

Inuyasha nodded before once again saying, "I'll come get you." Then he turned and ran off toward Kagome's home.

Miroku put a hand on her shoulder and smiled before both he and Sango ran off as well, leaving Rin alone.

_'I can't just stand here'_ she thought. She refused to look back at the group of demons. She needed to hide, just like Inuyasha said.

So she ran.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:**** Nope, nope, a thousand times nope, I don't own Inuyasha and I don't make a profit from this story**

* * *

><p>"Get the hell outta my way!" Inuyasha yelled as he sliced through a snake demon. How many of them were going to get in his way? He had already gotten Kagome. Miroku and Sango had joined up with him once again after Sango went to grab her weapon. All that was left was to get Rin and quickly, but every time they killed a demon more would show up. He glanced at a few of the villagers screaming as they ran away from what they could only describe as monsters. Inuyasha briefly wondered if any of them realized he was defending their small village.<p>

Well, what was left of their village. Smoke was everywhere, and most of the huts were being consumed by angry flames, while others were just crushed by rampaging demons.

"Hiraikotsu!" yelled Sango as she flung her weapon at an oncoming demon. She watched as it ripped through the demon's torso before flying back toward her.

"Are you okay Sango?" Miroku asked as she caught her hiraikotsu seemingly effortlessly.

"I'm alright," she assured him. "There's just so many of them."

"Inuyasha.." Kagome said softly, her eyes glancing from one damaged hut to the other. "Do you think Rin's okay?"

"Damn it," he growled. He was regretting telling her to run to her hut. It had seemed like a good idea before, but now he was worried. The demons were destroying everything, attacking everyone. He had to get to Rin and make sure she was all right. "Let's go!" he yelled as one of Kagome's sacred arrows pierced the last demon in the small area. He began to run, Miroku and the others close behind him as they passed panicked villagers.

And after only a few minutes of running he stopped suddenly, and the others stopped as well, looking at him in confusion, wondering why he had stopped. They were in a hurry. But he said nothing, only stared ahead of him.

Kagome and the others looked up, and they too could only stare at what they were seeing.

Who was he? They all thought. And _what_ was he? Because clearly he was not human, the man standing amid the turmoil in absolute stillness. But there was no demonic aura coming from him either. This man with vast black wings that matched the blackness of his haori, boots, and hakama; though what very little they could see of his under-layers, were white. He wore no armor, had no weapons in his hands.

A villager fell to his knees as he too gazed upon the man, his voice a whisper as he said, "Angel"

Kagome could only stare in awe at the man, he was perfect, he was mythic, and one look at his face told her he was absolutely cold. No emotion showed as he stared at the chaotic scene before him. He looked bored, and it was utterly terrifying. She was torn between the sudden urge to flee and the fear of turning her back on him.

It was, unsurprisingly, Inuyasha who broke the silence.

"Who the hell are you," he said harshly, his grip tightening on his sword just in case the man tried anything funny.

The 'Angel' turned his head toward them, not in a hurry, but slow. Languid. His red eyes as he looked at all of them were empty of anything but slight curiosity.

"A half demon," he stated, his eyes glancing to the sword he held, feeling the power within it.

"Yeah, what of it?" Inuyasha answered defensively.

"I merely haven't seen many," Satoshi answered. Really he didn't know why he even answered the loud half demon. Perhaps it was because he was bored. The demons were certainly making a mess of things, but he truly could care less. He merely came to observe. However, the sword the half demon held fascinated him slightly.

"You are not a demon?" Sango asked, though she knew it was a foolish question. There was no demonic aura coming from him at all, but if he was not human, and if he wasn't demon, what was he?

An emotion then. His face portrayed slight annoyance for a split second before it went back to impassiveness. "I am not one of those weak creatures," he said, offended that he was mistaken for one of those mindless creatures running around destroying homes.

_'Weak?'_ they all thought. Demons, to them were extremely strong, not at all weak.

"So then what the hell are you?" Inuyasha said, getting impatient.

"People have called me many things. A God of death, war, calamity, darkness," he paused and watched as the half demon moved closer to one of the human girls. "I care not for titles. I am Satoshi."

"A..a God?" Kagome's voice was small as she continued to stare at Satoshi. As scary and intimidating as he was, he was just so... _handsome_. His looks were otherworldly, so the thought that he was indeed some sort of God didn't seem strange to her at all.

"You are not one of the Seven Lucky Gods," Miroku stated, though it sounded more like a question.

Satoshi's face flashed with sudden anger. "No. To them I am but a minor deity," he spat, remembering his sealed powers. "I warn you not to interfere with anything I do. Should you attempt to do such a thing, I will kill you."

"Oh yeah?" Inuyasha taunted, "I'd like to see you try, bastard!"

Satoshi narrowed his eyes at the half demon, his gaze so intense it made Inuyasha want to back up a step. He took a step forward, yet paused as he saw the half demon step in front of the human woman that he sensed spiritual powers coming from. He took in the sight, slightly amused. The half demon thought he could protect her. It was noble. It was laughable. If he wanted to, he could kill her in the time span of a few seconds.

Inuyasha watched Satoshi carefully, ready to attack if he saw the deity make even a twitch of movement. But it was no use. Faster then the time it took him to blink, Satoshi was in front if him, one arm out in front of him holding a long sword. Inuyasha stared in confusion before his eyes followed the steel of the sword to where he could no longer see it, for a good part of it was imbedded in his stomache. The warm and wet feeling of blood spilling down his body surprised him before finally the shock wore off and the inevitable searing pain of being stabbed rushed through him and distantly he heard the horrified gasps of his friends, but he did nothing but stare, eyes wide and mouth slightly agape as he stared into bright red eyes.

"I will not kill you," Satoshi said, his fierce eyes unwavering and his voice a deadly calm, "But do not provoke me like that if we meet again."

Still, Inuyasha could say nothing, not a sarcastic reply nor even a grunt of anger. Everything seemed to be shifting and tilting, darkness was starting to cloud his eyes, the sounds of screams seemed distant, and for a second he thought he heard Kagome screaming his name. He couldn't stop his eyes from drifting shut, and didn't feel the impact against his body as he fell to the ground.

* * *

><p>Rin ran. She ignored the sounds of death around her; tears streaming down her cheeks as she heard a child scream in the distance. She had to keep running. She had to get to her hut. She told Inuyasha she would be there. So she kept running. As she ran it felt as if she wasn't breathing in enough air and her heart was pounding twice as fast as her feet.<p>

She wished she could close her eyes so she wouldn't have to see the blood everywhere, the corpses everywhere, the demons _everywhere_.

But she couldn't shut her eyes. She had to see where she was going. Her eyes darted around for a moment as she kept running. In all the mayhem, many villagers tried to rush by the demons as they attempted to get away. But they were easy prey, because as they ran by, the demons merely reached out and snatched them.

She ignored the screams, ignored the burning in her legs, and relief spread through her at the sight of her shabby little hut. She skidded to a stop in front of it, bent over and gulped in much needed air. Her heart was beating so fast that she half expected it to come flying out of her chest.

Rin looked up, placed a foot forward to take a step toward her home. She stopped mid-step, seeing movement. She didn't think Inuyasha was supposed to be here yet.

A small village woman Rin didn't recognize stumbled out of her hut.

_'She must have been in there hiding from the demons' _Rin thought, but before she could think more about it, she noticed the woman was bleeding. The woman looked terrified. Her eyes searched the area wildly, looking for help. Her eyes landed on Rin and widened. She took a shaky step forward. She fell and it was then that Rin saw a chunk had been taken out, bitten out of the back of her neck. Rin felt her face go pale and stared in horror as blood gushed out from the wound.

A demon then stepped out of her hut. A huge, tall, red skinned demon, who's eyes were a bright yellow. He was huge, his mouth was open revealing his razor sharp teeth, and a deadly looking pair of horns stuck out of his forehead.

Rin stepped back, whimpering softly, but he paid no attention to her. His eyes focused on the now dead woman that had come out of her hut. He bent down and picked her up, obviously wanting to finish his meal.

Rin didn't want to stay and watch, so once again she began to run. There was no safe place she could go. The demons were everywhere. So, in her moment of panic, she headed for the place where there seemed to be no screaming and no demons wreaking havoc amongst humans.

The forest.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:**** I don't ow Inuyasha and I don't make a profit from this story**

* * *

><p>Rin stared forward, hearing only the loud inhale and exhale of each breath she took as she ran. She didn't know how far she had ran, nor how long she had been running.<p>

Her hand reached in front of her, pushing a branch away. Her foot hit a large tree root that rose out of the ground. A startled cry left her lips as her hands reached in front of her to brace for the fall. The impact hurt her wrists, and she was sure the rocks she fell on would be giving her bruises, but she wouldn't worry about that now. Instead, she sat up and leaned against the very tree that had caused her to fall.

If this were any other situation, she would have taken a moment to take in the smell of nature and wildflowers and pine cones. She would have laid back and thought of how pretty it looked to see trees rising toward the sky; to see bits of the sky through dark green colored leaves. Maybe she would have even attempted to climb one of these very trees; to stand atop the highest branch and feel as if she were flying as she looked down at a sea of treetops.

But right this moment, as the sounds of wolves howling, roaring rapids, and leaves rustling in the wind reached her ears she could do nothing more then wrap her arms around her bent knees and cry. There's a tightness in her chest and a lump in her throat and they both hurt, but she's used to this feeling; it's a part of crying.

A part of her is crying because she's scared and alone, not sure if Inuyasha will find her after she's gotten herself lost in this huge forest. But a bigger part cries for the people in the village. Happy families torn apart, children watching their parents die. She knew the feeling all too well. She was also angry. Angry at herself for not even trying to help any one of them. She was sure that Inuyasha, Kagome, Sango and Miroku would have tried to help them. But she hadn't. She was a coward who had only cared about getting herself to safety.

_'Selfish'_ she thought angrily, wondering how many people were killed.

A faint rustle in the bushes alerted her and immediately she quieted her crying and looked toward the sound.

A head was poking out of the bush, and Rin had to stop herself from screaming. It was a small demon, with brown fur that slightly resembled a fox. She glanced up at its twitching ears before looking back into nervous brown eyes. Part of her wondered if maybe he would attempt to attack her, but truthfully she felt like he wouldn't. He looked just as nervous as he felt.

The small demon slowly took a few steps forward before a look of determination settled on his features. He walked up to her, and Rin briefly wondered if she should say hello. His paw-like hand reached behind him and retrieved a wooden canteen. He placed it on the ground in front of her and pushed it toward her.

Rin's mouth dropped open slightly and a surge of happiness spread through her at the kind gesture. She reached out a hand and took the canteen before smiling brightly at the young demon who, now that she saw him up close, seemed like he'd only reach her knees.

"Thank you," she said, a few tears once again gathering at the corners of her eyes.

The young demon smiled, obviously happy he could be of help. His ears twitched, and Rin heard a faint yell coming from the direction he turned. A male was calling for a boy named Katsu, who she assumed was this demon boy in front of her. And sure enough the boy looked at her one more time, smiled, and waved before running off toward the direction of the voice.

Rin sat alone now with a canteen full of water, still smiling. She remembered what she had said to Inuyasha one time. Just like humans, not all demons are bad.

* * *

><p>Until just a few hours ago, humans had been little more than legend to him. He supposed in the back of his mind he knew they existed. After all, Inuyasha was a half demon. But he had never actually seen one. He was merely a child when his father had gone and died in that war against those human soldiers. And now here he was, finally seeing the creatures he had heard so much about.<p>

Not like it was a wonderful experience. They were filthy, weak, everything he heard demons say about them.

Sesshomaru kept a steady pace as he walked, ignoring the babbling of Jaken as he bragged about setting a human on fire.

Truthfully he had hardly paid attention to the humans that were running about. He had killed a few that had gotten in his way, but other than that he paid them no mind. He supposed he was slightly curious about them, but at the moment he didn't feel like taking a good look at any of them. The barrier had come down and the first thing he decided to do was travel. He was more curious about the villages than the actual humans living there. But they were nothing grand, the two he had seen had been destroyed by other demons.

A breeze brought new scents to his sensitive nose and Sesshomaru stopped, ignoring how Jaken walked into his leg and was now begging forgiveness.

The corner of his lip turned up slightly in a smirk when he identified one particular scent. He turned, going toward the direction it came from. He was bored, but perhaps Inuyasha could entertain him.

* * *

><p>Inuyasha awoke to the sight of Kagome leaning over him, staring at him in concern. Any other time he would have blushed, but as the memory of why he had been knocked out came to him, he scowled.<p>

"Where is that damn bastard," he growled, sitting up quickly and wincing in slight pain. He was almost done healing, but the spot where Satoshi plunged his sword into still hurt.

"Inuyasha be careful! You're hurt," Kagome said with a frown. She had bandaged him up, but if he moved around too much the bandages might fall off.

"My body's not as weak as yours," he pulled the bandages off to show her he was almost fully healed. "I'm fine. Where's that asshole Satoshi? I can't believe that asshole stabbed me."

"It's your fault," she huffed, crossing her arms. "You're the one that provoked him. You're lucky he didn't kill you."

"Feh," Inuyasha looked around, noticing they were next to one of the huts that's roof had been taken off. "Where's Sango and Miroku?"

"They went to look for Rin after bringing you here. I asked to stop here so I could bandage you up and they said they'd go to Rin's hut to get her."

Inuyasha nodded, but kept looking around, his ears twitching. He didn't really see anymore demons around here. Maybe they got bored and wandered off. But he heard running, frantic footsteps and harsh breathing. Inuyasha stood, pulled his sword out of its sheath and continued to listen for a moment.

"Inuyasha? What's wrong?"

"Quiet." The sound was getting closer, and finally his eyes landed on a villager that was running. He ran toward the man, wanting to ask what was going on; but just as he reached him, something flew by and pierced the man, going straight through his back.

Kagome gasped, and Inuyasha just stared in shock at what looked like... a tentacle, or a spider leg that pierced through the man's body. They looked toward the killer, a man with long wavy hair and red eyes. They reminded Inuyasha of Satoshi's eyes, but unlike Satoshi, this man's eyes were darker and dull, holding no brightness.

"I apologize," his voice, as he spoke was smooth, but both Inuyasha and Kagome knew there was something off about him, not only because he killed someone. There was just something creepy about him. "I just couldn't allow him to get away."

"Who the fuck are you?" Inuyasha said harshly, raising his sword.

"Forgive me for not introducing myself. My name, is Naraku."

They stared at the body, and even Inuyasha was disturbed by the sight of the dead man lying there, though Naraku seemed unfazed.

"How could you just kill someone like that?" Kagome cried out. So many innocent people had lost their lives, and for this demon to just prance around acting like he didn't just grow a tentacle and stab someone with it, really angered her.

He walked forward leisurely, as if he did not just murder a innocent human, as if this was any other normal day and he was taking a calm stroll. "Oh? I find it quite entertaining."

"Entertaining?" Inuyasha asked, disgust clear in his voice.

"Yes. It's quite amusing you know, seeing that small spec of hope in their eyes when they think they've escaped, and then watching that spec die when you corner them, and they realize there's no hope now. I've been killing many humans today but more and more keep running out o hiding places like roaches. Truly, I believe mankind is like a virus... but rest assured, I am the cure."

"You're sick," Inuyasha spat, not knowing what else to say. This guy was psychotic and disgusting.

"Indeed," he chuckled, not at all offended.

"How can you be so cruel?" Kagome said softly. "Don't you feel guilty? How could you do this without feeling anything?"

"I feel nothing but resentment for humans, and for the world." He answered. _'And joy from bringing them pain and suffering'_ he added thoughtfully.

"_Bastard_, I'll kill you."

"I don't think so, Naraku said, his voice mocking. His feet lifted off the ground and he rose, stopping only to hover above them. "I do hope we meet again." And as he finished his sentence a purple cloud began to form around him, growing larger by the second as he disappeared, his chuckle echoing in their ears.

The purple cloud was spreading fast, and was already over their heads when Inuyasha realized what it was.

"Shit! Kagome don't breathe the stuff in! That's miasma!"

Kagome's eyes widened in fright as she covered both her nose and mouth with her hands. Inuyasha coughed, sheathed his sword, then picked her up bridal style before running, needing to get away from the cloud of miasma. His amber eyes darted left and right, looking for Miroku and Sango. He hoped they would be able to get away.

He ran toward the trees, coughing again from his exposure to the miasma. He leaped from branch to branch, holding Kagome close to his chest. He looked down at her, and almost had a heart attack when he saw her unconscious, but breathed a sigh of relief when he realized she was breathing fine and she was not injured. She probably lost consciousness while holding her breath, or maybe the shock of everything that happened today finally caught up to her. Either way, she was safe and that was all that mattered.

Inuyasha leaped once more before landing softly in a clearing. He placed Kagome gently on the ground before turning the other way to cough a few more times. He knew he would be fine, but at the moment he felt weak and wanted nothing more than to take a nap. That and find that bastard Naraku so he could kill him.

He took a few more deep breaths, finally feeling like he could breathe normally again. For a moment he wondered if he should go look for Miroku, Sango and Rin while Kagome slept, but decided against it. He'd wait until she woke up, that way he wouldn't have to leave her here alone and defenseless. Besides, he needed a few moments to rest.

"Well," came a sickly smooth and disgustingly familiar baritone voice. "If it isn't Inuyasha."

Inuyasha looked up, glaring at the male and silently cursing himself for not noticing the demons' presence. He stood on shaky legs, his eyes not looking away from the other.

"Sesshomaru," he spat.

_'First I had to deal with Satoshi, then Naraku, and now Sesshomaru' _he thought angrily.

"What is it, asshole day?" He grumbled.

"I've quite missed you as well, little brother." Sesshomaru smirked, now slightly amused. His golden eyes drifted for a moment to the sword at the half demon's side. A while ago he had been obsessed with obtaining it, but had eventually given up on it. He had no need for it, and he had gained his own sword from giving up on it, but that didn't change the fact that he always enjoyed the chance to possibly kill the half breed.

Though he didn't need the sword anymore, it didn't change the fact that he despised the half demon. Just seeing him made his blood boil. Once again his eyes drifted to something else, and he raised an elegant silver eyebrow at the sight.

"A human," he stated, and looked back to Inuyasha, noticing how he stiffened for only a second.

Inuyasha pulled his sword out of its sheath, the blade enlarging to resemble a fang as he pointed it toward his half brother. Sesshomaru just watched, looking bored. "What the hell are you doing here? Leave."

Sesshomaru ignored him, walking toward both him and the unconscious human.

"Do you plan to eat her?" His golden eyes danced in amusement when he saw Inuyasha step between him and the woman. "It seems, she is not yet dead." He raised a clawed hand, cracking his fingers and allowing bright green poison to ooze at the tips. "Allow me to assist in killing her."

Sesshomaru leaped forward, hand pulled back as he prepared to strike. He came at Inuyasha so fast that he seemed like a blur. He saw Inuyasha jump toward him and simply had to step aside as the half demon swung his sword down.

"I see you can't properly use fathers' fang yet." he taunted. He refused to draw his own sword to fight someone so weak. The half demon would die by his claws.

"Shut up," Inuyasha growled, readying himself to attack the bastard.

Sesshomaru charged forward before Inuyasha even had a chance to react. As quick as he was, he couldn't dodge the attack. Sesshomaru punched him in the jaw sending him hurling back a few feet. Inuyasha stumbled a bit before steadying himself, but before he could completely recover, Sesshomaru appeared in front of him, swiping glowing claws toward his neck. Inuyasha jumped back, barely dodging the attack.

Another attack came at him, and Inuyasha lifted his sword, successfully blocking the punch aimed for his head, causing the demon's fist to hit the side of his sword. The force of it jarred his bones. Sesshomaru wasn't holding back. Was he really trying to kill him? Damn it. He couldn't even land a hit on the demon! Growling in anger, Inuyasha dug his nails deeply into the palms of his hands, ignoring the slight pain.

"Blades of blood!" yelled Inuyasha, unleashing his attack at Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru just jumped away, easily dodging the attack, but he hadn't noticed it was merely a distraction, and before he had time to dodge, Inuyasha leapt forward.

Inuyasha pulled his right arm back, putting everything he had into this blow. Satisfaction flowed through him as his fist connected with Sesshomaru's striped cheek, causing the demon to be knocked back slightly.

Sesshomaru looked unfazed when he landed, his gaze bored.

"Why do you protect that creature?" he asked, contemplating whether he should kill the half demon first, or the human. "Have you mercy for that human? A trait I suspect came from our father." Truthfully he couldn't care less whether the woman died or lived. It was merely the fact that Inuyasha clearly cared about the pitiful creature that made him want to run his claws through her, just to see the half demon suffer. "Unlike you, mercy... is not something I inherited from our father."

He leaped then, high above them as he once again poised to strike, green ooze forming and dripping from the demon's claws. Though this time, Inuyasha noticed, it wasn't him he was aiming for. It was Kagome.

A feeling of dread filled him. He was tired, he felt weak from everything that went on today, and though he didn't want to admit it even to himself, he knew he couldn't win against Sesshomaru. Especially if he couldn't use his damn sword properly.

His hands gripped the hilt of his sword tightly as he looked down at the large fang. Never had he talked to it, and perhaps he finally snapped under pressure, but something in him made him call out to his sword. "Please," he whispered, pleading. "Help me." He looked up, knowing if he couldn't land a hit, Sesshomaru would kill Kagome right there and then. Like he said, Sesshomaru was never one to show mercy to anyone. And after he killed Kagome, Inuyasha knew without a doubt he would be too heartbroken, too devastated to even think of continuing the fight. He would stand there, drop his sword and allow the bastard to do whatever he wanted to him. And so, in a last attempt he pleaded to the sword his father left to him, hoping for a miracle. "Help me protect Kagome"

To his surprise, Tetsusaiga pulsed, and when he looked up toward Sesshomaru he saw it: the vortex of the swords power. 'I can cut through it..' he thought, and immediately raised his sword, not wanting to waste any time.

"Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha roared as he brought his sword down, eyes widening when a surge of bright yellow beams that looked like claw marks erupted from the sword, hitting Sesshomaru. He briefly heard an angry roar of pain from Sesshomaru, but it faded, and Inuyasha knew his half brother had gotten away.

Sheathing his sword after silently thanking it, he used the last of his strength to bring his body next to Kagome's before collapsing and closing his eyes as exhaustion overwhelmed him. And not once did he realize two sets of eyes had been watching him.

**o~O~o**

Satoshi watched as the half demon passed out next to the human woman. His bright red eyes stared at the sword now sheathed at his waist. Instinctively, his hand reached up to touch the necklace hanging from his neck and hidden under his clothes. He paused, sensing the sickening and disgusting aura of the now half demon Naraku. He didn't want the creepy thing to know about some of his powers being sealed. He didn't trust him at all and wondered if he should have just killed him when he first found him.

"So the full demon and that half demon seem to hate each other," said the spider demon, his voice clearly laced with amusement.

"So it would seem." Satoshi replied blandly. "His name, is Inuyasha," he continued, remembering the human saying his name. "Perhaps in the future I could make use of that sword." In truth he didn't even know how to release his powers. If he had known, he would have done it already, but of course the other God's who sealed them away refused to tell him how to release them. Obviously they didn't want him to know, and just thinking of it angered him greatly.

"Leave it to me," Naraku said as he stared at the two forms in the clearing.

"Oh?" Satoshi raised an eyebrow and looked at the man standing next to him. He knew, without a doubt, he could kill the spider demon in mere seconds. He did not fear the half demon, but something about him made him want to grimace in disgust and throw him into the pit of a volcano so there would be no chance he would ever have to be in his disgusting presence again. But he had decided to use him, so he would. And when he no longer had use for him, he would satisfy his urge to kill him. However, if the spider demon wished to obtain the sword for him eventually, then he would let him. He knew Naraku found the half demon Inuyasha amusing, and had no doubt he would have fun using some dirty tricks on the dog demon and his friends.

"He cares for that human and his precious friends," said Naraku as a villainous smirk crossed his face. "Heart, feelings, emotions. They're nothing but tools I can use."

Satoshi spread his wings and poised to lift himself into the air. He took one last look at the spider demon. "Do what you want." he said before leaping into the air, leaving a satisfied Naraku behind.

* * *

><p>Rin splashed a handful of water onto her face before standing and making her way through bushes and trees, careful not to trip on a root again. She had been trying to find her way back to the village but ended up becoming more lost than she already was. She had finally stumbled across a small river, and had been able to refill her canteen, but now she wondered if she should continue wandering the forest or if she should stay still and wait for Inuyasha to find her. If she yelled would Inuyasha hear her? Even if he did hear her, she was sure the noise would attract other demons as well.<p>

"Great," she muttered, pushing another thin branch away from her face as she walked. Her mind wandered back to the villagers, and the feeling of guilt once again settled in her stomach. Why hadn't she at least attempted to help someone? It wasn't like her life was worth more than theirs. They had friends, lovers, family to go back to. What did she have? A handful of friends and a dirty shabby hut.

She sighed once more as she walked around a tree. Her eyes lifted to look at where she was, and she gasped. There in front of her, laying on the ground was a body. Immediately she assumed the person was dead once she saw the amount of blood on his or her chest, but the slight rise and fall of their chest showed that the person was in fact not dead. Yet. She stared at the blood, knowing whoever it was had been attacked and was obviously badly hurt. Again, the memory of her ignoring people who needed help flashed through her mind. She walked forward, knowing this was her chance to help someone.

Sesshomaru laid unmoving on the ground, his wounds throbbing in pain. As angry as it made him to even think it, he knew right now he was vulnerable. This would take a day or so to heal, and there were many demons out there who would love the chance to kill him. Just as that thought crossed his mind, a rustle in the bushes alerted him. Immediately he sat up, his eyes turning a deep shade of red as he growled loudly, baring his fangs at the intruder.

Rin stopped, a surge of fear coursing through her. All she saw at the moment was angry red eyes, and immediately she was reminded of the demon that walked out of her hut. She hadn't been sure at first whether or not it was a human or demon, but now she knew. However, this was her chance to help someone. Demon or not, this was someone that was hurt.

Steeling her resolve, Rin gulped before continuing forward.

She narrowed her eyes, lifting her canteen above the demons head.

And poured the water right on him.

Sesshomaru had been wondering whether or not to kill whoever had come close to him, but now his mind had gone blank from shock. His eyes returned to their golden hue and his mouth fell open slightly before it shut into a thin line and he glared at whoever had the nerve to do such a thing.

Rin stepped back and blinked at the glaring demon. She blushed, lowering her arms as she spoke softly. "Your wounds need to be cleaned." She winced, and looked down, realizing how stupid she sounded. _'Really Rin? Who just pours water on a wounded person? Why couldn't I just had asked him if he was ok before worrying about cleaning his wounds?!'_

Tentatively, she raised her head after the demon hadn't said anything, and decided to take a moment to take in his features. And when she realized his eyes were no longer glowing red, she couldn't help but stare into his now golden eyes. They were luminous, mesmerizing and beautiful, though they showed hardly any emotion. They held nothing in them but curiosity and annoyance as he stared at her, and briefly she wondered if he'd speak at all.

She knew, even without looking at his once white hakama's and kimono that had flowers and a red part that resembled the blood from his wounds; he was an important person. She could tell by the way he held himself, even sitting on the forest floor. He held himself with an almost overwhelming air of authority. His back was straight, his shoulders were squared, and his head was held high. She traced the crescent moon and purple facial markings with her eyes, wondering if they felt different from the rest of his skin.

Beautiful as he was, he was intimidating. It was difficult for Rin to imagine him ever breaking into a smile. She noticed that he too was staring at her, and she didn't know what to do. So she smiled.

Sesshomaru, having gotten over the shock and now realizing this strange woman was indeed trying to help him, decided to take a moment to really look at her.

She had long brown hair, and his fingers ached to brush through it. Her face was vibrantly alive, showing her every emotion; her bright brown eyed gaze sparkling. His eyes drifted down, noticing how her radiant smile was dimpling one cheek. And then his eyes landed on her lips. Lips that made him want to touch with his fingertips to see if they felt like velvet. _She was beautiful._ He breathed in her scent and the smell of wildflowers and vanilla assaulted his nose. A sudden urge to grab her and lean in to nuzzle the crook of her neck shocked him.

And that was when he noticed she had no markings on her face, her ears were not pointed but were rounded, and her nails were rounded, not sharpened into claws.

Finally, he spoke, his voice devoid of any emotion.

"You are human."


End file.
